OUR TEAM

EXECUTIVE

Andy Rodriguez (+)Interim Executive Director

Andy brought over fourteen years of experience in Youth Services and the non-profit sector when he joined the Club in May 2016. His experience includes advocacy for displaced families, designing and implementing dynamic youth programs, as well as program management and administration. He has worked in a variety of environments: schools, community centers, athletic programs and family residences.
Andy understands and appreciates the transformative power that youth programs can play in the lives of the young people and families in the neighborhoods they serve. He has lived in Astoria for over 10 years and is excited to be a part of an organization that serves the community.

Elsbeth Grant (+)Director of Education & Impact

Elsbeth Grant was born and raised in Chapel Hill, NC. After graduating from the University of Chicago, Elsbeth joined the NYC Teaching Fellows where she taught math, technology, and coached the track team at an all-girls public school in the South Bronx. While teaching full time, she completed her Masters at Relay GSE. Elsbeth then joined Columbia Business School, class of 2018. While at CBS, she interned with DeansList Software in Spring 2017 and the Center for Public Research and Leadership from Summer 2017 until graduation. She served as the Co-President of the Social Enterprise Club. Elsbeth joined VBGCQ as the Director of Education & Impact in August 2018. She designs education programming, manages all corporate and programming partnerships, creates and tracks outcomes for the programs, and runs the development department.

ADMINISTRATION

Angie Beteta (+) Executive Program Associate

Angie Beteta began working at the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens in October 2015 as a Group Leader and Front Desk Agent. A year and a half later, she worked her way up to becoming Operations Manager. In October 2018, Angie flew to China to teach English to students for 6 months. She rejoined the Variety team in March 2019 as the Executive Program Associate, eager to continue making change and fulfilling her passion of helping families in the community take advantage of all the opportunities the Club has to offer.

Lainey Johnston (+) Administrative Coordinator

Lainey Johnston has several years of experience in education & nonprofits. Her experiences include working as a Graduate Assistant for St. John’s University Upward Bound program, Graduate Assistant for St. John’s University Writing Center, Associate Board Member at Urban Word NYC, Outreach Housing Advocate at Breaking Ground, and as a volunteer at South Bronx United & 696 Build Queensbridge. At Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens, Lainey is the brains behind our social media campaigns, and is our liaison for all rentals and partnerships. She works directly with the Director of Education with program outreach, with the Director of Development for fundraising, and the CFO with payroll and bill payment. As if this were not enough, Lainey is also the person in charge of managing the entire organizations supply inventory!

Jeinny Reanos (+) Operations Manager

Jeinny Reanos started at the Variety Boys & Girls Club as a lifeguard in 2014. Shortly after, Jeinny became an irreplaceable member of the aquatics team, and under her guidance Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens has become one of the best aquatic programs in the Greater Queens area. Her love and dedication to the club motivated her to take on a new challenge where she stepped out of the pool and into the deep end of Operational Management. Her goal is to help families, empower youth and help them reach their full potential. In the five years that she has been a part of our family, it is clear that her goals are not only achievable, but she has realized she can impact more change then she ever thought possible.

PROGRAMMING

Gift Adeboyeku (+)Site Director | Academy of the City

In June 2016 Gift Adeboyeku joined the Variety team. Gift Adeboueku has over 10 years experience working with children in a school setting and 6 years as a coordinator/director. She has earned a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Baruch College and has worked with schools implementing mental health services to NYC public schools with the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene. Gift is an integral part of the Academy of the City Charter School community and continues to be a liaison between parents, students, and school officials.

Diana Franco (+) Site Director | I.S. 10 Horace Greeley

Diana Franco has been working with children for about 14 years and joined the Variety Boys and Girls Club in August 2017. Diana Franco serves as the site Director of Beacon at I.S. 10. She has been working for Beacon after-school programs since 2009. Diana started with Goodwill Industries and had various positions in the Beacon organization. At one point she acted as a group leader, coordinator, assistant director and now a Director. She is an expert in all the aspects of a Beacon program! Diana is a mother of three young men and a grandmother of three young ones. Her goal as a director is to provide opportunities for families and provide a safe place for our participants!

Tanzania Hughie (+)Site Director | Astoria Boys & Girls Club

Tanzania Hughie is a South Bronx Native and has been passionate about youth development and The Arts since she was thirteen years old. Tanzania has used her experience in management to develop performing arts programs. She used her skills to engage with programs liaisons teaching schedule management, course planning, choreography techniques, performance arts and variant genres of dance. As a performing arts specialist, she has also written and directed plays and taught acting, improv, and writing skills Tanzania has used experience in the performing arts, cultural arts and leadership to help build social skills within the community she works. Prior to her current role as the Site Director, she served as Assistant Site Director for 7 months and Elementary School Program Coordinator for 1.5 years, both at the Astoria Club.

Maria Loizi (+) Site Director | P.S. 70Q

Charles Melone (+) Athletics Director

Charles Melone is the Athletic Director at The Variety Boys & Girls Club. He has been providing the kids in the community with a safe place where they can come to after school and express themselves after a long day of school for four years. Charles, who has been running a basketball program called CM3 Sports for 10 years has used this platform to help kids from middle and high school who do not have the financial ability to afford to attend top schools, to attend for free. CM3 travels all of the country so these student athletes can receive the exposure that they need in front of top Division 1 and 2 schools. Charles is able to help kids who exceed first academically and then athletically to be able to get these student athletes a full ride to school!